At the school, Sheikha Moza first sat with a group of 6 year olds in a classroom who were practicing their reading in English and read along with them. She then met with some of the ‘Teach for India’ fellows – young students and professionals who dedicate 2 years of their time to teach full time in low-income primary schools around the country. She heard how, in the 3 years since its inception in India, the project now has 400 ‘fellows’ and has helped the education of 12,000 school children. That number is expected to grow to 22,000 from next year.
In 2010, ‘Teach for India’ was a finalist of the annual WISE Awards which recognize and showcase innovative educational projects around the world that are making a positive impact upon communities. The World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) was founded in 2009 by Sheikha Moza and launched by her Qatar Foundation as a global platform dedicated to building the future of education by harnessing the experience and expertise of multiple stakeholders.
Her Highness applauded the role of projects like ‘Teach for India’ in raising the level of education for children who would otherwise be deprived of the full benefit of this vital passport to opportunity and inclusion. She described the project as an example of what can be done to help achieve the UN’s Millennium Development Goal 2 – universal primary education by 2015. Her Highness is a member of the UN Millennium Development Goals Advocacy Group.
“In the past 3 years, there have been eight projects from India which have been recognized for their excellence by the WISE Awards, so I am well aware of the innovative spirit of the Indian people in the field of education. But it was inspiring to be able to actually see one of those projects in action for myself during my visit to India. There is much that the rest of the world can learn from India and adapt to their own circumstances. I believe that nurturing and supporting successful models is one of the best ways to bring about real innovation in education and this is the purpose of WISE too.
Sheikha Moza added that her time in India reaffirmed her faith that the country is a crucial partner in the growing global community which has recognized the importance of bringing transformational change to how we prepare the young people of today to confront the challenges of tomorrow.
The application period for the 2012 WISE Awards is open until May 31st. Information about the initiative and the application process can be found at www.wise-qatar.org/awards
About the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE):
WISE is dedicated to building the future of education through innovation. This global collaborative initiative was inaugurated in 2009 by Qatar Foundation, under the leadership of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser. Its mission is to address the challenges facing 21st-century education, to expand dialogue around the world and to implement practical and sustainable solutions. To this end, WISE holds an annual international Summit that provides a unique platform and meeting place for thought leaders and experts to share best practices about education. WISE is also a year-round initiative devoted to reaching outside the traditional circles of the education community to promote innovation and implement concrete actions. The WISE 2012 Summit will take place in Doha, Qatar, 13-15 November 2012. Full details on the WISE website: www.wise-qatar.org
About the WISE Awards:
Inaugurated in 2009, the WISE Awards are designed to identify, showcase and promote innovative educational projects from around the world. To date 18 projects have been awarded and 98 finalists have been shortlisted out of more than 1,300 submissions from 116 countries. The 18 successful projects have come from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ghana, India, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, South Africa, Turkey, the UK and the USA. These “real world” initiatives are progressively building a global community of educational innovators which is having a local or global impact on education. To find out more about the WISE Awards, please visit the WISE website at www.wise-qatar.org and the WISE Awards blog: http://awardsblog.wise-qatar.org/
Indian WISE Awards Winner & Finalists (2009 onwards)
- Nanhi Kali – India – 2009 WISE Awards Winner
- Teach for India – India – 2010 WISE Awards Finalist
- SatyaBharti School Program – India – 2011 WISE Awards Finalist
- NIIT Yuva Star Career Development Centers – India – 2010 WISE Awards Finalist
- Ensuring Every Child Learns – India – 2010 WISE Awards Finalist
- Scientifically Tailored Employability Program (STEP) – India – 2011 WISE Awards Finalist
- Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) – India – 2011 WISE Awards Finalist
